CITY WORKS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 22, 26 January 1934, Page 9

CITY WORKS.

MAJOR PROJECTS. REVIEW BY THE MAYOR." IMMEDIATE FLAN OUTLINED, While outlining the city works to be completed during the remaining term of the council, the Mayor, Mr. G. W. Hutchison, in a special review presented to last night's meeting of the _ City Council,, named four major projects the fine arts, block, Shortland Street Post Office, council administration block and traffic outlets —as being unlikely undertakings in the immediate future. "As this meeting marks the commencement of the last complete calendar year the present council shall hold office," said the Mayor, "it is appropriate that stock should be taken of such plans as the council will be able to out during the remainder of the term. These must necessarily be restricted by finance available." Fine Arts Block. There appeared to be little likelihood of some projects being proceeded with, although they were, or would become shortly, necessities. There were four in that category. For years, the Mayor recalled, both the Central Library and the Art Gallery *had suffered extreme inconvenience and furnished modified public service owing to the inadequate space available. The council, in joint tenancy with the Auckland University College, was able to secure the site of the old Grammar School for the erection of an appropriate building to house the Art Gallery and the School of Fine Arts, and he hoped a permanent home for the Society of Arts. When the proposed building was erected, the Central Library would have scope for expansion in the present building. "Scandalous Conditions."

"As one whose profession embraces office administration and control, I must j place on record the scandalous conditions under which the staff in the Town Hall is compelled to work. The building is inherently defective as an administiative block, and its disabilities are aggravated by an obsolete layout that prohibits adequate supervision, hampers departmental and inter-departmental communication, with resultant l os ® °* operative economy. The conditions that exist are conducive to impaired health, and it may be more than a coincidence that several of the staff have had to be retired long before the retiring age. Reports obtained indicate that replannig" of the Town Hall office space cannot" rectify the position, and cither an administrative block will to be erected on vacant land adjoining, or a scheme of decentralisation adopted. While the latter would appear undesirable, it may provide a solution, particularly in the event of further territorial accretions, until the city's finances w ar " rant the expenditure necessary to deal adequately with the .position. Traffic Outlets.

"Comprehensive reports are on the files regarding the means possible to provide for increased traffic flows. W hen the problem becomes acute the position can be dealt with only by a regional plan embracing districts outside the city's boundaries. In the meantime, much relief has been obtained by splitting the traffic at intersections. The annual traffic tallies being taken by the city engineer's department will prove most valuable when planning future traffic facilities. , . "Regarding the Shortland Street post office scheme, I have engaged in personal discussions to explore the possibility of securing road access from Shortland Street to Fort Street. The method that would be the least expensive ultimately would be to acquire the whole block, and, after cutting oil 40ft on the western side of the street, dispose of the 1 balance. The sum involved along with i the possible expense of holding the ! balance 6f the land . for some years, I makes the proposal immediately mipiacticable."

Likely Works. A number of works that could be completed, or started, in the near futuie war, outlined by the Mayor, who fore- | shadowed that the provision of road access to the old railway station site should be completed within the year. A complete scheme for the ultimate development of the Domain was ready for presentation by the city enginee , and when adopted, all future work,•including unemployment labour in tha„ area, could be directed in accordance with the adopted plan. Councillors would be asked to inspect the Stone Jug bunding and adjoining area and decide the purpose to which the area should . - put. Further amenities would be pi exceeded with at the Western Springs motor camp, which next summer woul 1 become second to none in New•Zealand. The scheme for clothing the bare clay face of Campbell's Point would be put in hand at once. With the assistance of the Law Society, it was hoped this vear to erect the new law library and permanently deal with the other land behind the Supreme Court. Immediate steps must be taken to see that bus companies provided convenient bus loading stations, which the council contended 5 was the duty of the companies. It should be possible to undertake the straightening and widening of the continuation of Belgium Street to connect with Newton Road, thus easing traffic 1 congestion at Grafton Bridge ner section. For Completion.

Mr. Hutchison predicted that the year would mark the completion of improvements at Blockhouse Bay, including the provision of vehicular acc^ ss ',.y le T , col j' struction and surfacing of Cliff Road, the modernising of Victoria Arcade, trie construction of one rcservon a Mount Hobson, and the preparation ot the civic map. In addition, it wou.d see the continuation of drainage operations at Tamaki, the reconditioning ot the Waitakere pipeline, the construction of the Albert Street stonmvatcr drainage, and the laying of the pipeline across the harbour to Birkenhead. It was mentioned by the Mayor that on the Tamaki drainage, city stonmvatcr drainage, Mount, Hobson reservoir, and Waitakere pipeline jobs f«H rates ot wages were being paid. That indicated the opinion of the council that the earnings of relief workers were no, sufficient to sustain them and their families. Valuable assets were being created by relief labour. "I am of opinion," the Mayor concluded, "that on the ground of economy in administration in the urban area, efforts should be revived to bring about amalgamation with the boroughs ci Mount Eden, Mount Albert, and Newmarket, Much of the argument used in opposition when the matter was considered in 1031 has been proved to be entirely erroneous. Furthermore, the ratepayers of Mount Albert wera deprived of the benefit of their favourable decision by a condition that now might well be removed."